Newstalk Megathread

Duck's hoop

ateam wrote: »

Senseless interviewer.

During the week he was going on about how he'd love to interview the disgraced financial regulator, the questions he'd ask etc, like he was some kind of Irish J. Paxman. Had to laugh.

Poochie05

Duck's hoop wrote: »

During the week he was going on about how he'd love to interview the disgraced financial regulator, the questions he'd ask etc, like he was some kind of Irish J. Paxman. Had to laugh.

Just read this as P.J. Paxman, LOL!

Red Sleeping Beauty

Haven't read the thread but I don't bother with Newstalk anymore. I remember when it started it was pretty good but now the thing with texts, light hearted banter and women's tips is just pathetic.

jack24

Todays hot topic on the breakfast show, no not the public sector strike, txt us at a cost of 30c your favourite sambo. At least 10 mins devoted to it (unless they were talking about something else between the time they started and I switched off and the time I turned back on and still they were wittering on about weetabix samobs or some such arse). Honestly, I've said it before and I'll say it again I'm constantly reminded of The Simpsons and Barts people (episode where they just make the news up). I know people are in danger of getting too wound up with the recession doom and gloom but you'd think you were listening to 98fm the crap they were coming out with. I would also love to know, and maybe I missed it between the seemingly endless adverts, what exactly Gilroy was doing in LA for the Oscars. The fleeting scrap I heard him report on consisted of him telling Claire how he caught sight of an oscar statue but didnt get to meet anyone famous or get into any celeb parties or basically anything that you'd think it would be sensible to have lined up before they went. Maybe he should have interviewed Tom Dunne as seems to be the thrust of the last 30 mins of the Breakfast show these days, begone Robert Fisk and Geoffrey Wheatcroft, welcome Dunne of the funny coat and bizarrely surprised voice. I have issues...........

Jack

LordSutch

jack24 wrote: »

Todays hot topic on the breakfast show, no not the public sector strike, txt us at a cost of 30c your favourite sambo.

Tom Dunne had Mr T on yesterday morning

Koloman

Camelot wrote: »

Tom Dunne had Mr T on yesterday morning

Did he tell Tom Dunne to shut his jibber jabber?

giftgrub

jack24 wrote: »

... I would also love to know, and maybe I missed it between the seemingly endless adverts, what exactly Gilroy was doing in LA for the Oscars. The fleeting scrap I heard him report on consisted of him telling Claire how he caught sight of an oscar statue but didnt get to meet anyone famous or get into any celeb parties or basically anything that you'd think it would be sensible to have lined up before they went....

Heard that alright, first of all he did it over the phone, he may as well have done it from his gaff using E!-Online

And the stories were a little lame

Claire "So Ger any Oscar gossip out there?"

Ger "Ehhhhhhh, I heard Mickey Rourke had a drink with Sean Penn before the show"

Fracking pointless, i think they got the flight for free from some tour operator

I really have to tune NT106 out

mcscrub

Todays Irish Times - Mary Minihan

Newstalk to restore cancelled shows after order by regulator

NEWSTALK RADIO station will next month reinstate two cancelled programmes following a direction from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI).

The Irish-language programme Splanc and the arts show Culture Shock were taken off air towards the end of 2008.

The BCI had directed Newstalk to put the two special interest programmes back on its schedule before the end of February. It is understood the commission will not object to the delay, however.

A spokeswoman for Newstalk confirmed that Splanc would return from next Friday, March 6th. She said this would coincide with the beginning of the Seachtain na Gaeilge festival, the annual Irish language and culture festival.

The original presenter, Daragh Ó Tuama, will host the show, which covers music, current affairs and sport.

The Newstalk spokeswoman also said a new arts programme will begin on Saturday, March 14th at 7pm.

Culture Shock , which was presented by travel writer Fionn Davenport, was cancelled last year. It concentrated on arts, entertainment and popular culture.

The spokeswoman said Davenport would be returning to present the new programme beginning on March 14th, to coincide with St Patrick’s Festival. Earlier this month, The Irish Times reported that Newstalk and Today FM had been notified of serious breaches of contract after they introduced programming changes without prior approval by the BCI.

Both stations are owned by businessman Denis O’Brien’s media firm Communicorp.

The BCI accepted Communicorp’s arguments relating to some of the changes that had taken place, such as some sharing of news arrangements between the two stations. It is understood Communicorp argued that the changes would help to secure the viability of Newstalk in the current economic downturn.

However, the BCI ruled that the removal of Splanc and Culture Shock from Newstalk’s schedule reduced diversity of programming.

The commission also said the absence of these programmes would have a significant impact on the Programme Policy Statement, which sets out the station’s programming commitments.

mike65

BCI enforces licence terms shocker?

LordSutch

Splanc

I wonder what Splanc's listenership figures are, single figures maybe? It seems a little harsh for the BCI to foist this compulsory order on Newstalk, given the very small numbers that might actually tune into an Irish language programme.

GhostInTheRuins

Good news

Ol' Donie

So Splanc is actually coming back? Next week?

That's the best news i've heard in a very long time. Excellent.

tbh

I've been think about this topic a bit over the last few days, especially in regards to the Breakfast Show. Do you think that newstalk has become too personality driven - that instead of news and analysis, it's more to do with what the presenters opinion on the matter is? I think it's becoming more like the editorial page than the news page. After every news story on the breakfast show, we're given five minutes on what Claire thinks about the topic, followed by a droll remark from Ger.

Tom Dunne - no news content what-so-ever

Eamon Keane - Good news coverage whenever I've listened, from what I can gather it seems to take the top few stories of the day and discuss them in greater detail than the breakfast show. Like newstalks' version of PK today - fair enough?

Moncrieff - again, all opinion.

Hook - not bad, but way too much opinion for me. Way too much stuff about twitter and what George did last night etc etc.

Off the ball - good analysis, but obviously we always know what all the lads think about everything

Every program seems to have a lot of people willing to spend 30c to send the presenters the kind of text you'd normally only send to your mates, and they all seem a bit too keen to read them all out I think.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that a personality driven station doesn't have a niche on the dial, and newstalk are obviously pitching these programs deliberately the way they are, and the presenters are all doing a very good job of delivering what they've been asked to do, and are all generally likeable etc. I just can't help feeling a little cheated. I was hoping for so much more, but I suppose at the end of the day, Radio 4 wouldn't survive as a commercial station either.



edit: threads merged. Self-moddage ftw

mike65

tbh wrote: »

Eamon Keane - Good news coverage whenever I've listened, from what I can gather it seems to take the top few stories of the day and discuss them in greater detail than the breakfast show. Like newstalks' version of PK today - fair enough?


Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that a personality driven station doesn't have a niche on the dial, and newstalk are obviously pitching these programs deliberately the way they are, and the presenters are all doing a very good job of delivering what they've been asked to do, and are all generally likeable etc. I just can't help feeling a little cheated. I was hoping for so much more, but I suppose at the end of the day, Radio 4 wouldn't survive as a commercial station either.


edit: threads merged. Self-moddage ftw

tut tut

On Keano, the comparison with Today with Pat Kenny would not be fair. Keane clearly takes his lead from middle-brow tabloids (he'd prolly be appalled at the very idea), lots of phoney feeling rage and whataboutery but little substance.

Clearly NT has not developed as nearly everyone on this thread would have hoped, if anything its regressing into a rather unwholesome fluff and bluster mix. As for BBC radio 4 it was never going to be that, maybe LBC or Radio Five before it became FiveLive.

LordSutch

tbh wrote: »

I've been think about this topic a bit over the last few days, especially in regards to the Breakfast Show, it's more to do with what the presenters opinion on the matter is? After every news story on the breakfast show, we're given five minutes on what Claire thinks about the topic, followed by a droll remark from Ger.

I totally agree with the above, which is why I wake up to Five Live/ Radio 4 or Radio 2.

tbh wrote: »

Tom Dunne - no news content what-so-ever

A vacuous show for female & male bimbos :rolleyes:

tbh wrote: »

Hook - not bad, but way too much opinion for me. Way too much stuff about twitter and what George did last night etc etc.

Agree again, way too much personal opinion ............

tbh wrote: »

Every program seems to have a lot of people willing to spend 30c to send the presenters the kind of text you'd normally only send to your mates, and they all seem a bit too keen to read them all out I think.

Yep indeed, and thats what we are all complaing about for the last 44+ pages.

tbh wrote: »

I was hoping for so much more, but I suppose at the end of the day, Radio 4 wouldn't survive as a commercial station either.

Ah, but the difference being that 'Radio 4' & 'Five Live' are professional radio stations, they are also on a much higher intellectual level and they dont run repeats through the night. To be honest its an awful pity that Newstalk didnt evolve into an Irish version of one of the above (or a combination of both)? Anyway its all academic now, Newstalk didnt evolve beyond the neanderthal stage and if they're not carefull, they too might go the same way ......... ?

mickb85

Fair enough it doesn't fall into the 'news' category as such, and repeats the blunder of most radio shows by rehashing tabloid surveys for discussion, which pertain to represent the opinions of the Irish people but were in fact carried out in a country we've spent a thousand years trying to distinguish ourselves from, BUT his miraculously average sized ego makes him a more than welcome antidote to the painful self-love of Ryan, Darcy anf Tubbs on the rival stations!

On another note, if I hear Eamon Keane do his little routine of stopping everything and 'setting out the facts' as he sees them in his "tell it to me like I'm a three year old" Denzel Washington in Philadelphia impression one more time...

JimboJones74

Things i never want to hear on newstalk ever again:

Any mention of the word twitter.
Any "banter" between Ger and Claire.
Any opionion on the news from Ger and Claire.
Hussling for texts.
The phrase "believe you me" from Tom dunne.

Eamon Keane saying any of the following:
"some breaking news" ...when it clearly is not
"bare with me on this"
"the munster/irish etc legend"

Hookie mentioning the "lovely ingrid".


Rant over

Coillte_Bhoy

George Hook referring to himself constantly in the third person...George this, Hooky that....does my head in. FFS can he not say 'I' or 'my'?

fivetwenty

Tom Dunne gets on my nerves.

I bought these boots the other day . . .

The jacket I'm wearing is a polo-neck . . .

On the way to work I saw a cue? Text in what you think they were cueing for! . . .

Text in bad jokes . . .

Granny radio at it's finest right there.:mad:

On the other hand, Moncrieff & Off The Ball are quality.

ateam

Eamon Keane ruins his own show. It seems to me like he arrives for work at 1145 without having read any of the newspapers or listened to Morning Ireland. He has no experience or depth to run a current affairs news programme. He gives his opinion in a such a way that takes away from the debate, leaving the contributors with nothing to say.

jack24

For the last while I have been turning on the radio (tuned to Newstalk, too early to be bothered changing it) in the morning at about 6.45am hear the Breakfast show. What I actually get is approx 2 mins of babbling about the newspapers, then an ad break for about 5 mins, then 2 mins of business news, then break again up to the news. It feels like they are shoe horning in the inane drivel and banter between intensive ad breaks. Hook also finishes his show at about five to seven (Cooper interestingly keeps going much longer). I'm sure they are keeping within the guidelines (if there are any) on the amount of ad breaks but it certainly feels like the entire breakfast show is a series of rushed fillers between advertisements. To make matters worse when they are actually broadcasting they are touting for 30c texts and advertising themselves. I really must tune out, but then what would we all moan about.........

mike65

Inane talk is cheap! This morning I flicked over for a while and after about 7 or 8 mins realised they had not actualy done any "news" is was opinion and chit-chat between our hosts. I flicked back so I could hear Aine Lawlor fail to say Craigavon correctly twice and stumble over the time (yet again)

Lunar Junkie

ateam wrote: »

Eamon Keane ruins his own show. It seems to me like he arrives for work at 1145 without having read any of the newspapers or listened to Morning Ireland. He has no experience or depth to run a current affairs news programme. He gives his opinion in a such a way that takes away from the debate, leaving the contributors with nothing to say.

The guy that was standing in for him over the last couple of days was a significant improvement, I thought.

ateam

Lunar Junkie wrote: »

The guy that was standing in for him over the last couple of days was a significant improvement, I thought.

Yeah John Keogh, much better. They should have the theme tune music and announcement as Lunchtime Without Eamon Keane.

Utopia Parkway

JimboJones74 wrote: »

Things i never want to hear on newstalk ever again:
Any opionion on the news from Ger and Claire.

That annoys me too. Fair enough interview your guests and ask the questions that have to be asked but I don't want to hear Claire Byrne's opinion on every single story in the news. She's always trying to get her own two cents in on every topic under the sun.

tbh

yeah - did you hear her saddle was stolen? and she had to walk to a meeting? and then get a new saddle?


:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:* infinity

jack24

Heard that too, surprised Eamon Keane didn't have it as breaking news, interviewing Claire from the scene of the crime,or they didn't invite listeners to text in saddle related mishaps at 30c a go, or invite the newstalk 500 (or whatever they're called) to participate in a poll about saddle related crime. Get that crime bloke from the Star on the line to talk about how drug dealers now include automatic weapons and a saddle with every shipment of drugs (is every interview with him the same or is it just me).

At least we get to hear what Claire and Ger think about, well absolutely everything. The paper review is fab now, we won't bother bringing in anyone to review them like we used to, let's do it ourselves! They should dispense with any pretence of interviewing non Newstalk people and have entire programs with just Claire and Ger's views on the news, save a few quid and keeps the listeners enlightened. And as I've said above, what's with the amount of fecking ads from 6.45am? Thankfully I have loads of podcasts these days on my commute to keep me sane.

mcscrub

jack24 wrote: »

At least we get to hear what Claire and Ger think about, well absolutely everything. The paper review is fab now, we won't bother bringing in anyone to review them like we used to, let's do it ourselves! They should dispense with any pretence of interviewing non Newstalk people and have entire programs with just Claire and Ger's views on the news, save a few quid and keeps the listeners enlightened. And as I've said above, what's with the amount of fecking ads from 6.45am? Thankfully I have loads of podcasts these days on my commute to keep me sane.

What really bugs me is their terrible attempts at being humerous. I found myself cringing in the car this morning hearing Claire trying to be funny - just doesn't work - stick with the News!!

deadhead13

There will be another attempt at humour on saturday mornings, when Newstalk will try political satire - "The Emergency" 11.30 - 12.00.

mike65

This morning apropos of nothing, Clair Byrne told us that The Pet Shop Boys were releaseing a new ablum, she then went on the give Ireland her considered opinion of same - bland and middle of the road.

Ger was aghast!

I switched back to RTE.